19 - junio - 2008

CECILIA WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

It has been announced that Cecilia Bartoli is to be bestowed with three major international awards.

In the Netherlands, Cecilia's album MARIA was awarded the Edison 2008 prize (category: Vocal solo). The Edison Award is the most important prize of the Dutch music industry for albums of outstanding quality. The oldest music prize in the Netherlands, the Edison awards were founded in 1960 and the Edison Classical Music Awards are granted by an independent jury consisting of prominent experts in the field of classical music. The award was presented to her after Cecilia's concert at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam on 12 June.

In Spain, at the suggestion of the Ministry of Culture and with the approbation of the Spanish government the King of Spain will bestow the "Medalla de oro al merito en las bellas artes" for the year 2007 on Cecilia. This medal is the highest acknowledgement in the cultural sphere of Spain, given to individuals and institutions who have contributed substantially to the promotion and development of art.

And in Italy, Cecilia will be awarded the Bellini d'Oro ? a prestigious prize given by the Società Catanese Amici della Musica to great singers and conductors for important achievements in connection with the works of Vincenzo Bellini. Cecilia was chosen this year for her work on Bellini and Malibran.

Earlier this year in Belgium, Cecilia was also awarded the "Prix Caecilia" from the Union de la Presse Musicale Belge.